Kapil Sibal announces new initiative to demat degrees

New Delhi, Jan 12 (ANI): Union Human Resource Development Kapil Sibal on Tuesday announced the initiation of a process for the establishment of a national database of academic qualifications (degree/certificates from school to graduate/postgraduate level including professional degrees), which will be created and maintained in an electronic format by an identified, registered depository.

The dematerialisation of certificates, to a technology-based solution would ensure confidentiality, authenticity and fidelity, enabling online verification and easy retrieval of academic qualifications.

At present two Depositories, National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL) and Central Depository Services (India) Limited (CDSL) are registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).

Holding of academic qualifications in an electronic depository would provide immense benefit to educational institutions, students, alumni and employers by enabling online access of academic qualifications.

It would eliminate the need for persons to approach educational institutions for obtaining transcripts of such qualifications or for verification.

The system would also eliminate fraudulent practices such as forging of certificates and mark sheets through facilitating online verification.

For this purpose, the HRD ministry has constituted a task force under the supervision of Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur Professor Sanjay Dhande.

The other members of the Task Force shall include Professor Debashis Chatterjee, Director, Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Kozhikode, Professor SS Mantha, Chairman, All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), Professor Ved Prakash, Vice-Chairman, University Grants Commission (UGC), Vineet Joshi, Chairman, Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).

A nominee of the Department of Financial Services not below the rank of Joint Secretary to the Government of India, the Additional Secretary and Financial Advisor, Ministry of Human Resource Development or his nominee from the Finance wing of the Ministry and a nominee of the Planning Commission will also be the members of the task force.

The Joint Secretary (Higher Education) of HRD ministry shall act as the Convener of the Task Force.

The Task Force is expected to submit its recommendations by March 31, 2010. (ANI)